Age Differences In Bookman's Appropriate Relationships

Throughout the memoir we learn about multiple inappropriate relationships. The intense age differences between Natalie and her adoptive father, Deirdre and Dorothy, and Augusten and Bookman are alarming. The only character that seems to understand the wrongness of these relationships is Hope. Hope is the only character who believes Augusten and Bookman’s relationship is immature. After being tormented by her brother about her singleness, Hope tells Bookman that he is no expert on love either. “I’m saying your ‘relationship’ with Augusten, who is fourteen by the way, is not a mature love, no” (195). Hope goes on to tell Bookman that if he cannot handle the truth, he should not be dating a child. Augusten feels insulted since he does not consider himself a child. Hope explains that she means love is different and more mature when both people in a relationship are older. This is the first instance where Augusten is made aware of the inappropriateness of his relationship. He admits that sometimes he feels sick when he thinks …show more content…
Children often think a specific action is allowed simply because their parents are doing it. Without any superiors telling Augusten how wrong it is for Bookman to be dating him he doesn’t make the connection that sometimes age differences are inappropriate.
Natalie has also had relations with someone much older than her. Even his best friend has been in the same situation. Hope is the only one in his life who told him it was wrong, that it isn’t “real love”. Hope is the only one with her head on straight and was right in saying that the relationship between Augusten and Bookman isn’t real love and that it’s not right. However, it’s hard to blame Augusten for not understanding the inappropriateness of the age difference between him and Bookman. If everyone else is doing it, it doesn’t seem